Punjab News ExpressCHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has categorically rejected reports that Honeypreet Insan was in Punjab Police custody or was, in any way, being shielded by the Punjab government.

Contrary to claims of Haryana Police that Honey Preet was arrested, the Punjab Police said she had surrendered befiore a Panchkula court. Punjab Police has also denied that Honey Preet was in its custody. A government spokesman said that the state was not involved in the case beyond supporting the Haryana police with intelligence and other relevant inputs.

There was no question of the Punjab Police taking Honeypreet into custody as there was no criminal case registered against her in the state, nor was she in any wanted list, said the spokesperson.

The Punjab government, particularly the police and intelligence departments, were merely providing inputs to the neghbouring state in the interest of justice and to maintain law & order in the region, according to the spokesperson.

Right from the outbreak of the Dera crisis, the Punjab police had been sharing information on the activities of the followers of Ram Rahim, who was indicted and punished on rape charges. The Punjab government, said the spokesperson, had been extending all possible help to the neighbouring state, which it will continue to ensure that peace is maintained at all costs.

The Punjab government would not, at any cost, try to protect a fugitive criminal like Honeypreet, who had cases registered against her in Haryana, where she had been declared a `wanted criminal’ after she reportedly absconding in the wake of the Dera violence sparked by Ram Rahim’s imprisonment, the spokesperson asserted.

The clarification came after a section of the media reported, citing sources, that the adopted daughter of the Dera chief was in the custody of Punjab Police and a BJP spokesperson was quoted saying that the Punjab government machinery was shielding Honeypreet, who surrendered before a Panchkula court today.